Barcelona Faces Uncertainty Over Striker Role as Ferran Torres Shines and Lewandowski's Future Looms
Barcelona's striker situation is uncertain as Ferran Torres thrives, Lewandowski's contract nears end, and potential replacements are considered.
- • Ferran Torres scored a hat-trick against Betis, raising his season tally to 13 goals.
- • Robert Lewandowski, in the final year of his contract, has scored eight goals but has faced injuries.
- • Barcelona is exploring replacements for Lewandowski, with Etta Eyong being a key candidate due to his affordable release clause.
- • Club president Joan Laporta confirms readiness to invest but wants to avoid positional overcrowding.
Key details
In FC Barcelona's recent win against Real Betis, Ferran Torres scored a hat-trick and was named Most Valuable Player, raising his total goals for the season to 13—already surpassing his previous best of 19 goals in a season. Torres expressed his ambition to keep improving and become the club's leading striker.
Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski, 37 and in the final year of his contract, has netted eight goals this season but has been hampered by injuries. Discussions on his contract renewal have yet to begin, with Barcelona's sporting director Deco affirming that Lewandowski remains the main forward for now.
Barcelona is also looking ahead and evaluating potential replacements for Lewandowski, focusing on younger talent with manageable release clauses. Etta Eyong stands out as a prime candidate with a €30 million release clause, contrasting sharply with the prohibitive €500 million clause of Julián Álvarez. Club president Joan Laporta has confirmed that while Barcelona is financially ready to invest significantly to strengthen the squad if required, the club aims to avoid overcrowding in key attacking positions.
As the team prepares for a critical Champions League fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt, strict ticket sales controls have been implemented to prevent earlier disturbances involving visiting fans. Additionally, goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen is nearing a return from a prolonged injury, adding experience to the squad.
This evolving striker scenario reflects Barcelona's balancing act between nurturing emerging talents and managing veteran players’ futures amid a competitive season ahead.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
